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Fairy Tale Princesses
The Thirteenth Princess
Zita is not an ordinary servant girl—she's the thirteenth daughter of a king who wanted only sons. When she was born, Zita's father banished her to the servants' quarters to work in the kitchens, where she can only communicate with her royal sisters in secret.
Then, after Zita's twelfth birthday, the princesses all fall mysteriously ill. The only clue is their strangely worn and tattered shoes. With the help of her friends—Breckin the stable boy, Babette the witch, and Milek the soldier—Zita follows her bewitched sisters into a magical world of endless dancing and dreams. But something more sinister is afoot—and unless Zita and her friends can break the curse, the twelve princesses will surely dance to their deaths.
A classic fairy tale with a bold twist, The Thirteenth Princess tells the unforgettable story of a magical castle, true love, spellbound princesses—and the young girl determined to save them all.
--From the publisher's website
Then, after Zita's twelfth birthday, the princesses all fall mysteriously ill. The only clue is their strangely worn and tattered shoes. With the help of her friends—Breckin the stable boy, Babette the witch, and Milek the soldier—Zita follows her bewitched sisters into a magical world of endless dancing and dreams. But something more sinister is afoot—and unless Zita and her friends can break the curse, the twelve princesses will surely dance to their deaths.
A classic fairy tale with a bold twist, The Thirteenth Princess tells the unforgettable story of a magical castle, true love, spellbound princesses—and the young girl determined to save them all.
--From the publisher's website
243 pages, Hardcover
First published August 25, 2009
75 people are currently reading
8806 people want to read
About the author
Diane Zahler
16 books242 followersI grew up reading children's books and never wanted to do anything but write them. I'm the author of nine middle grade novels, and my newest book is a historical novel called WILD BIRD. I live in the country with my husband and very enthusiastic dog Jinx. Visit my website at www.dianezahler.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 513 reviews
December 9, 2020
2.5 stars
Her mother died in labor and her father, enraged by the lack of sons and sidelined by the grief, forbade Zita from being raised as a princess.
But once Zita found out, her twelve older sisters (each with a name beginning with A) embrace her as much as they can, away from their father's stern gaze.
Lost voices, worn out shoes, silver trees and magic spells.
Will Zita discover the secret in time to save her sisters? Or would they be lost forever?
This is a retelling of the twelve dancing princesses - with a twist of a thirteenth princess and a bit of an upgrade on the magic.
I like the idea of it...but it didn't pan out the way I had hoped.
Zita is a rather...well...bland main character.
She always follows the rules (unless a suitably noble cause inspires her otherwise), she's truly good through-and-through, and she's always selfless, kind and thoughtful. Boring!
She needed at least a couple of flaws to spice up her character and make things a little interesting.
The other issue is with twelve princesses (each with an A-name), they all blended quite well until I really couldn't be bothered to tell them apart.
I did enjoy the old woman in the woods who helped with magic and the stable boy was fun - but they weren't enough to carry the book for me.
There wasn't enough DONE to the story to change it from the original tale to interest me in the story.
Adding in a thirteenth Princess didn't really change the story or create a new outlook... she was just kinda THERE... sigh.
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Zita spent most of her life believing she was a serving girl, only to discover that she is the thirteenth princess.
I could hardly take this in, it was so strange and wondrous. I was a princess!
Her mother died in labor and her father, enraged by the lack of sons and sidelined by the grief, forbade Zita from being raised as a princess.
But once Zita found out, her twelve older sisters (each with a name beginning with A) embrace her as much as they can, away from their father's stern gaze.
The other girls crowded around me, chattering like sparrows...I realized now that they too felt the bond that joins sisters together.But there is some strange magic afoot in the kingdom.
Lost voices, worn out shoes, silver trees and magic spells.
Will Zita discover the secret in time to save her sisters? Or would they be lost forever?
...I held my breath, caught between dread and anticipationSo this one...it wasn't bad, but it didn't dazzle me.
This is a retelling of the twelve dancing princesses - with a twist of a thirteenth princess and a bit of an upgrade on the magic.
I like the idea of it...but it didn't pan out the way I had hoped.
Zita is a rather...well...bland main character.
She always follows the rules (unless a suitably noble cause inspires her otherwise), she's truly good through-and-through, and she's always selfless, kind and thoughtful. Boring!
She needed at least a couple of flaws to spice up her character and make things a little interesting.
The other issue is with twelve princesses (each with an A-name), they all blended quite well until I really couldn't be bothered to tell them apart.
I did enjoy the old woman in the woods who helped with magic and the stable boy was fun - but they weren't enough to carry the book for me.
There wasn't enough DONE to the story to change it from the original tale to interest me in the story.
Adding in a thirteenth Princess didn't really change the story or create a new outlook... she was just kinda THERE... sigh.
YouTube | Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Snapchat @miranda_reads
January 12, 2016
The story of the twelve dancing princesses isn't one of the most popular fairy-tales to be retold (i.e. Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, Sleeping Beauty) but definitely isn’t one of the most neglected either. This take on it adds a thirteenth princess which was appealing to me. Zita is also a servant while her sisters are just regular princesses-until the enchantment starts taking its toll on them.
The book had the same feel of the Once Upon a Time Series books; the writing style of it anyway. Good for a young audience. The character Zita is nice and caring; doesn't have a mean bone in her body. Having twelve sisters we didn't get to see their personalities all that much. More of the focus is on characters like Cook (and can anyone tell me why Cook doesn't have a real name?), the witch, and the stable boy.
The plot moved steadily though there were a few parts where I felt like there was nothing going on, which was a bit frustrating. The ending was predictable but it's a retelling, what can you expect?
I am glad I read it. It cheered me up after reading a downer book. However, I read Princess of the Midnight Ball before this one and I enjoyed it more.
The book had the same feel of the Once Upon a Time Series books; the writing style of it anyway. Good for a young audience. The character Zita is nice and caring; doesn't have a mean bone in her body. Having twelve sisters we didn't get to see their personalities all that much. More of the focus is on characters like Cook (and can anyone tell me why Cook doesn't have a real name?), the witch, and the stable boy.
The plot moved steadily though there were a few parts where I felt like there was nothing going on, which was a bit frustrating. The ending was predictable but it's a retelling, what can you expect?
I am glad I read it. It cheered me up after reading a downer book. However, I read Princess of the Midnight Ball before this one and I enjoyed it more.
August 16, 2018
“I had lost my father, but I had also gained my father.”
Zita is the thirteenth daughter born to a king who wanted a son. Her father's anger and disappointment led him to banish her to live a servant's life in the kitchens. Growing up estranged from her family, Zita longs to know and be among her twelve elder sisters. But then all princesses become bedridden and it is up to Zita and her friend, Breckin the stableboy, to find out what is behind her sisters' sudden illness.
The Thirteenth Princess was my first retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses and it was quite simply put a cute fairy tale. Apart from the addition of Zita, it doesn't really change the original tale, but rather expands on it and fleshes it out. I loved how it gave purpose to all characters to show what drives them.
Although I found it rather simple for the most of it, the story was cleverly structured with some nice foreshadowing and a very slight but constant presence of apprehension. Zita's narration felt quite traditional in the style of a fairy tale but it also included elements that resonate more with a contemporary story. I felt that in particular in regards to how the girls talked about boys and the like. But this was done so subtly that it actually worked quite well and, if anything, helped make the characters seem more like actual people.
Breckin and Zita also share in a friendship with a budding romance. The two of them were simply adorable and their relationship developed at a nice and natural pace. In contrast to other reviews I have read, I felt Zita - aged twelve - and Breckin behaved quite in accordance with their age. But as cute as they were, I was glad that the story wasn't lost in their romance and continued to focus on the sisterly affection.
My only issues with this tale were how incredibly simple and easily non-magic-users could learn to use magic - Zita learned a trick or two within a page and it struck me as too convenient. Convenience is also what bothered me about the ending; it all came very fast and everything just worked out. In any case, it is a cute story with loveable characters which I certainly enjoyed reading!
August 6, 2010
I have come to realize that I will always read fairy tales. It's what I always reach for when I need a comfort read. They are all almost easy to read and sweep you away with their magic. That's why these stories stand the test of time.
People know the story of the twelve dancing princesses, but do they really know the whole story? The answer would be no. Unbeknownest to most people there was a thirteenth princess named Zita. Zita is named after the saint of servants, and unlike her other sisters doesn't get to gleam in the lifestyle of a princess. Though Zita being a servant has made her feel unloved by her father, she does befriend the cute stable boy Breckin, and meets his older brother Mileck who will play in important role in the story. She comes to learn that she is a princess and as she grows closer to her sisters she finds out that there is something ailing her sisters. Finding out the gravity of the situation she sets out with Breckin, Mileck and the help of a benevolent witch to stop whoever is behind the curse upon her sisters.
I was a little worried about the length. Most of the time I have gripes about how the novel is not long enough and doesn't give a chance for the characters to develop. Though the development could have been a little better I was mostly satisfied with it, and ended up caring about the characters. It stays true to fairy tale form and ends happily:) If you loved this one read Princess of the Midnight Ball to get another great perspective on this fariy tale.
People know the story of the twelve dancing princesses, but do they really know the whole story? The answer would be no. Unbeknownest to most people there was a thirteenth princess named Zita. Zita is named after the saint of servants, and unlike her other sisters doesn't get to gleam in the lifestyle of a princess. Though Zita being a servant has made her feel unloved by her father, she does befriend the cute stable boy Breckin, and meets his older brother Mileck who will play in important role in the story. She comes to learn that she is a princess and as she grows closer to her sisters she finds out that there is something ailing her sisters. Finding out the gravity of the situation she sets out with Breckin, Mileck and the help of a benevolent witch to stop whoever is behind the curse upon her sisters.
I was a little worried about the length. Most of the time I have gripes about how the novel is not long enough and doesn't give a chance for the characters to develop. Though the development could have been a little better I was mostly satisfied with it, and ended up caring about the characters. It stays true to fairy tale form and ends happily:) If you loved this one read Princess of the Midnight Ball to get another great perspective on this fariy tale.
March 24, 2016
A poorly characterized and poorly plotted retelling of "The Twelve Dancing Princesses" told from the point of view of their little thirteenth sister - who was a kitchen maid in her family's castle.
Zita is treated more like Cinderella than a princess yet didn't seem to mind - which I find wildly implausible. Her father, who has exiled her to the kitchens, shows signs of loving her every now and again yet somehow never regrets his decision and never invites her back upstairs to live with her sisters. And the sisters never really become anything than an interchangeable blur of characters with names starting with the letter A.
Personally, I found all of the character's motivations to be highly unbelievable and the plot was all over the place. Though, I just got through reading a depressing classic, and wanted a light read with a happy ending... I grabbed this as the first fairy tale retelling from the local library that popped up on the screen as available, and in the game of library roulette, the result could have been far worse.
Really, it only deserves two stars, but I'll grant it an extra one since I believe this would appeal a lot more to the intended middle grade audience than it does to an adult.
Zita is treated more like Cinderella than a princess yet didn't seem to mind - which I find wildly implausible. Her father, who has exiled her to the kitchens, shows signs of loving her every now and again yet somehow never regrets his decision and never invites her back upstairs to live with her sisters. And the sisters never really become anything than an interchangeable blur of characters with names starting with the letter A.
Personally, I found all of the character's motivations to be highly unbelievable and the plot was all over the place. Though, I just got through reading a depressing classic, and wanted a light read with a happy ending... I grabbed this as the first fairy tale retelling from the local library that popped up on the screen as available, and in the game of library roulette, the result could have been far worse.
Really, it only deserves two stars, but I'll grant it an extra one since I believe this would appeal a lot more to the intended middle grade audience than it does to an adult.
August 7, 2025
One of my favorite books! I got this at a bookstore when I was probably 10 and still read through it regularly. Even read it aloud to my brothers and they enjoyed it too!
March 7, 2010
So, I went to the local Barnes and Noble to use a gift card that I got for Christmas (this was actually quite characteristically
unlike me to be using a gift card so soon after receival. I'm lazy. And forgetful.) mainly for the purpose to purchase House of Many Ways by Diana Wynn Jones. But of course, who can resist the urge in a big book store to look at every interesting looking book that you pass? I wasn't having much luck in the Young Adult/Teenager section, as it seems almost every book there now is about an "ordinary" girl who gets a supernatural boyfriend who's gorgeous, and constantly reminds her that their superficial romance is forbidden. So I abandoned ship and dropped by the juvenile section. And at the veeeerrry bottom of one the shelves, my eye caught a flash of something sparkly.
It was this book.
Look at the picture. I mean- it's GORGEOUS! And being me, a weakling around anything pretty, cute, or dealing with princesses, I couldn't beat down the urge to buy it. It's like an ugly beast of an addiction that I have to pretty book covers. Even if I didn't like the book, I would have still been satisfied with the purchase.... just because it's so darn beautiful.
It turned out to be not only beautiful, but a pretty good story as well. It's a re-telling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses, which, (gasp!) I've actually never heard the full story before, so I don't know how true to it the book is. I do know that, as suggested by the title, the main difference is that instead of twelve princesses, there are thirteen.
The story is about a king who wanted only sons, but had thirteen daughters instead. His wife died during childbirth with the last daughter. Enraged and wracked with grief, he banished the daughter to work as a servant in the kitchen. That daughter's name was Zita. Zita did not know about her true heritage until she was seven years old, but after she found out, she constantly longed to be with her sisters. They found ways to communicate secretly, but it was her father's rage that frightened her away from becoming too close to them. One day the twelve older princesses became very ill, and Zita noticed that their shoes looked worn and tattered, and it was then that she began to solve the mystery surrounding her sisters.
I think the thing I liked most about the book were the relationships that Zita had with her sisters. I had expected most of them to be nasty, spoiled brats, as that's usually how it goes in this sort of book. But I was surprised to find that each of the twelve sisters were kind girls who all loved their littlest sister who worked in the kitchen all day. I really enjoyed myself reading about how they interacted, because it reminded me of my sisters and how much we enjoy each other's company. It felt real to me, and made me wish I had as many sisters and a giant room that we all shared together, brushing each others' hair, gossiping, and telling stories.
The other characters were great, as well. Zita befriends a freckled stable boy named Breckin who becomes her companion in solving the mystery of her sisters' illness, and eventual love interest. Their relationship was very sweet, cute, and well developed. I hate it when a relationship comes out of nowhere with no basis. I don't believe that stuff. Zita's and Breckin's was done the right way. Breckin's brother, who is sort of the prince type guy and Zita's oldest sister's romance was the love-at-first-sight sort, but I think I can excuse it this time.... just because they were so cute! Anyhow, Zita and Breckin meet an old witch who lives hidden in the forest, and becomes their magical consort of sorts. She teaches them how to camoflauge themselves, just by thinking that they are whatever they're standing by. They use it a lot throughout the book, but the whole concept seemed a little far-fetched to me. I just... I kept wondering that if someone was convinced they were something other than who they were (I don't know.... a mentally disturbed man who was convinced he was a duck), if he stood next to a duck, would he disappear? Perhaps I'm being over-analytical, but for whatever reason, that part of the book bothered me.
The other bit that I didn't like was the witch. The witch wasn't the most impressive and original character I've ever read about. She was basically my grandma with magical powers. Not that my grandma isn't great! But I'd like to read about someone different. I kept expecting her to do something that would reveal a fascinating part of her.... but she never really did. Not even when she revealed who exactly she was at the end. Which, I suppose it was part of her role in the story- being the grandma lady to everyone , but I felt there could have been more done to her.
I only had one other qualm with the book, and I'm going to discuss some spoiler-ish type things, so don't read if it'll ruin the book for you. So it was at that the climax of the book at the end, where we discover that the one who cursed the princesses to dance every night was actually the kind old nurse who has appeared throughout the book. Why? Because she was in love with the king, jealous that he loved another woman, had thirteen kids, and was enraged that paid her no mind when his wife died. Thus she turned her jealousy onto his daughters, hoping that she could comfort him as they slowly withered away, and when they died, have him fall madly in love with her.
...
...
...
Where did this come from???
Maybe it's how it happened in the original tale, but the author could have at least foreshadowed it; had some clue that the reader wouldn't catch during the book, but then realize it all at the end. There was nothing! Nothing pointed at the nurse. Was it the intention of the author to make it impossible to guess? It may have, but as a reader, I enjoy figuring things out as I go, or at least, being completely in the dark, but then having that "aha!" moment at the end, because everything now makes sense. This reminded me seriously of Lord of the Flies. You know, when the climax was super intense, and then it was all resolved by the random naval officer who showed up on the beach? There was nothing building up to it- it just.... happened, with no correlation with the plot whatsoever.
So that was a bit disappointing. I felt slightly cheated of my intelligence, but it wasn't too bad, because the majority of the book was good. I enjoyed the resolution after the big thing with the Nurse, and it gave me that fuzzy feeling inside. All in all, it was a good fantasy with a main character who was a girly princess at heart, but was still a strong heroine that didn't totally rely on a knight in shining armor to save her. That's a good combination in my eyes. AND it's got a great cover!
Hope
Check out my blog! desrosea.blogspot.com
unlike me to be using a gift card so soon after receival. I'm lazy. And forgetful.) mainly for the purpose to purchase House of Many Ways by Diana Wynn Jones. But of course, who can resist the urge in a big book store to look at every interesting looking book that you pass? I wasn't having much luck in the Young Adult/Teenager section, as it seems almost every book there now is about an "ordinary" girl who gets a supernatural boyfriend who's gorgeous, and constantly reminds her that their superficial romance is forbidden. So I abandoned ship and dropped by the juvenile section. And at the veeeerrry bottom of one the shelves, my eye caught a flash of something sparkly.
It was this book.
Look at the picture. I mean- it's GORGEOUS! And being me, a weakling around anything pretty, cute, or dealing with princesses, I couldn't beat down the urge to buy it. It's like an ugly beast of an addiction that I have to pretty book covers. Even if I didn't like the book, I would have still been satisfied with the purchase.... just because it's so darn beautiful.
It turned out to be not only beautiful, but a pretty good story as well. It's a re-telling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses, which, (gasp!) I've actually never heard the full story before, so I don't know how true to it the book is. I do know that, as suggested by the title, the main difference is that instead of twelve princesses, there are thirteen.
The story is about a king who wanted only sons, but had thirteen daughters instead. His wife died during childbirth with the last daughter. Enraged and wracked with grief, he banished the daughter to work as a servant in the kitchen. That daughter's name was Zita. Zita did not know about her true heritage until she was seven years old, but after she found out, she constantly longed to be with her sisters. They found ways to communicate secretly, but it was her father's rage that frightened her away from becoming too close to them. One day the twelve older princesses became very ill, and Zita noticed that their shoes looked worn and tattered, and it was then that she began to solve the mystery surrounding her sisters.
I think the thing I liked most about the book were the relationships that Zita had with her sisters. I had expected most of them to be nasty, spoiled brats, as that's usually how it goes in this sort of book. But I was surprised to find that each of the twelve sisters were kind girls who all loved their littlest sister who worked in the kitchen all day. I really enjoyed myself reading about how they interacted, because it reminded me of my sisters and how much we enjoy each other's company. It felt real to me, and made me wish I had as many sisters and a giant room that we all shared together, brushing each others' hair, gossiping, and telling stories.
The other characters were great, as well. Zita befriends a freckled stable boy named Breckin who becomes her companion in solving the mystery of her sisters' illness, and eventual love interest. Their relationship was very sweet, cute, and well developed. I hate it when a relationship comes out of nowhere with no basis. I don't believe that stuff. Zita's and Breckin's was done the right way. Breckin's brother, who is sort of the prince type guy and Zita's oldest sister's romance was the love-at-first-sight sort, but I think I can excuse it this time.... just because they were so cute! Anyhow, Zita and Breckin meet an old witch who lives hidden in the forest, and becomes their magical consort of sorts. She teaches them how to camoflauge themselves, just by thinking that they are whatever they're standing by. They use it a lot throughout the book, but the whole concept seemed a little far-fetched to me. I just... I kept wondering that if someone was convinced they were something other than who they were (I don't know.... a mentally disturbed man who was convinced he was a duck), if he stood next to a duck, would he disappear? Perhaps I'm being over-analytical, but for whatever reason, that part of the book bothered me.
The other bit that I didn't like was the witch. The witch wasn't the most impressive and original character I've ever read about. She was basically my grandma with magical powers. Not that my grandma isn't great! But I'd like to read about someone different. I kept expecting her to do something that would reveal a fascinating part of her.... but she never really did. Not even when she revealed who exactly she was at the end. Which, I suppose it was part of her role in the story- being the grandma lady to everyone , but I felt there could have been more done to her.
I only had one other qualm with the book, and I'm going to discuss some spoiler-ish type things, so don't read if it'll ruin the book for you. So it was at that the climax of the book at the end, where we discover that the one who cursed the princesses to dance every night was actually the kind old nurse who has appeared throughout the book. Why? Because she was in love with the king, jealous that he loved another woman, had thirteen kids, and was enraged that paid her no mind when his wife died. Thus she turned her jealousy onto his daughters, hoping that she could comfort him as they slowly withered away, and when they died, have him fall madly in love with her.
...
...
...
Where did this come from???
Maybe it's how it happened in the original tale, but the author could have at least foreshadowed it; had some clue that the reader wouldn't catch during the book, but then realize it all at the end. There was nothing! Nothing pointed at the nurse. Was it the intention of the author to make it impossible to guess? It may have, but as a reader, I enjoy figuring things out as I go, or at least, being completely in the dark, but then having that "aha!" moment at the end, because everything now makes sense. This reminded me seriously of Lord of the Flies. You know, when the climax was super intense, and then it was all resolved by the random naval officer who showed up on the beach? There was nothing building up to it- it just.... happened, with no correlation with the plot whatsoever.
So that was a bit disappointing. I felt slightly cheated of my intelligence, but it wasn't too bad, because the majority of the book was good. I enjoyed the resolution after the big thing with the Nurse, and it gave me that fuzzy feeling inside. All in all, it was a good fantasy with a main character who was a girly princess at heart, but was still a strong heroine that didn't totally rely on a knight in shining armor to save her. That's a good combination in my eyes. AND it's got a great cover!
Hope
Check out my blog! desrosea.blogspot.com
July 16, 2019
This book was pretty good. It's upper elementary fiction, and I read it because remember likingA True Princess and her other works.
This book was the retelling of the 12 dancing princesses. And while I prefer Jessica Day George's retelling, this one is well written. It is written for a younger audience, and while I feel that the main character Zita is a very immature for her age(12), that is is a common flaw in Upper Elementary books. Mahler retells this classic fairy tale very well. This book tells a story that shows that love always win.
This is a relatively quick read, and I would recommend this book to everyone.
Note: I plan on reading all of the fairy tale retelling by Diane Zahler. So keep your eye out for reviews for : A True Princess, Sleeping Beauty's Daughters, and Princess of the Wild Swans
This book was the retelling of the 12 dancing princesses. And while I prefer Jessica Day George's retelling, this one is well written. It is written for a younger audience, and while I feel that the main character Zita is a very immature for her age(12), that is is a common flaw in Upper Elementary books. Mahler retells this classic fairy tale very well. This book tells a story that shows that love always win.
This is a relatively quick read, and I would recommend this book to everyone.
Note: I plan on reading all of the fairy tale retelling by Diane Zahler. So keep your eye out for reviews for : A True Princess, Sleeping Beauty's Daughters, and Princess of the Wild Swans
May 31, 2012
Also here: http://thedailyprophecy.blogspot.com/...
Short.
This story is all about Zira, who finds out that she is the thirteenth princess. She is the one who can save her sisters when the princesses all fall ill. Together with Breckin, Babette en Milek, Zira must try to find a way to break the curse before it is too late.
Long.
Zira is raised in the kitchen by Cook, until she finds out that she is no servant girl. In fact, she is the thirteenth princess and that's a nice suprise for her.
Aurelia is the first born child. After that, the King made sure that there was no magic in his Kingdom. The nurse said it could be dangerous for Aurelia. Soon after that, the other sisters arrived: the twin Alanna and Ariadne. Althea, Adena, Asenka. Another twin Amina and Ailima. Akila, Allegra, Asmita and Anisa. The King was done with daughters, he wanted a son. But when his wife dies giving birth to another daughter, he is devastated. He doesn't want the child, so he calls her Zira and she must be raised by the kitchen staff.
That is a horrible thing to do. Even in the end, I never felt any sympathy towards the King. He is harsh for his daughters and he blames Zira for something that isn't her fault. What I did like was the fact that Zira and the princesses are so nice to each other. Zira can sleep in their room every sunday. There is a secret passage between the kitchen and their sleeping room. And sometimes a princess leaves a hidden note for Zira, telling her that they miss her.
Zira feels wonderful and she even makes a new friend. Breckin, a boy who works in the stables. What a sweetheart! He sounds so cute and I liked how their feelings are developing. It's not that the author speaks about never ending love and passion - keep in mind that they are twelve - but it's real. It's the kind of feeling everybody had when you were around that age. Together they find out that there is still a witch in their Kingdom. Her name is Babette and it's a nice old woman. She always bakes cookies and other tasty stuff. Jummy! She comes in handy when the trouble is coming:
Something is terribly wrong. Her sisters are becoming very sick. They are tired all the time; they can't get out of bed anymore. Zira discovers that they are cursed: they must dance every night by going down in the dumbwaiter (the same spot Zira uses every sunday) under the lake. They must dance non-stop and that's why they are so tired. Zira must find a way to break the curse before it is too late. But how? And who is behind the curse?
Oh, how I loved this twist on the original story! It really sticks to the story, but I love the addition of another sister. Zira is such a fun character! She is very nice, but stubborn at the same time. She knows what she wants and she is brave. I like the fact that, even when she finds out that she is a princess, she stays the same.
Short.
This story is all about Zira, who finds out that she is the thirteenth princess. She is the one who can save her sisters when the princesses all fall ill. Together with Breckin, Babette en Milek, Zira must try to find a way to break the curse before it is too late.
Long.
Zira is raised in the kitchen by Cook, until she finds out that she is no servant girl. In fact, she is the thirteenth princess and that's a nice suprise for her.
Aurelia is the first born child. After that, the King made sure that there was no magic in his Kingdom. The nurse said it could be dangerous for Aurelia. Soon after that, the other sisters arrived: the twin Alanna and Ariadne. Althea, Adena, Asenka. Another twin Amina and Ailima. Akila, Allegra, Asmita and Anisa. The King was done with daughters, he wanted a son. But when his wife dies giving birth to another daughter, he is devastated. He doesn't want the child, so he calls her Zira and she must be raised by the kitchen staff.
That is a horrible thing to do. Even in the end, I never felt any sympathy towards the King. He is harsh for his daughters and he blames Zira for something that isn't her fault. What I did like was the fact that Zira and the princesses are so nice to each other. Zira can sleep in their room every sunday. There is a secret passage between the kitchen and their sleeping room. And sometimes a princess leaves a hidden note for Zira, telling her that they miss her.
Zira feels wonderful and she even makes a new friend. Breckin, a boy who works in the stables. What a sweetheart! He sounds so cute and I liked how their feelings are developing. It's not that the author speaks about never ending love and passion - keep in mind that they are twelve - but it's real. It's the kind of feeling everybody had when you were around that age. Together they find out that there is still a witch in their Kingdom. Her name is Babette and it's a nice old woman. She always bakes cookies and other tasty stuff. Jummy! She comes in handy when the trouble is coming:
Something is terribly wrong. Her sisters are becoming very sick. They are tired all the time; they can't get out of bed anymore. Zira discovers that they are cursed: they must dance every night by going down in the dumbwaiter (the same spot Zira uses every sunday) under the lake. They must dance non-stop and that's why they are so tired. Zira must find a way to break the curse before it is too late. But how? And who is behind the curse?
Oh, how I loved this twist on the original story! It really sticks to the story, but I love the addition of another sister. Zira is such a fun character! She is very nice, but stubborn at the same time. She knows what she wants and she is brave. I like the fact that, even when she finds out that she is a princess, she stays the same.
March 15, 2010
Most people who have enjoyed fairy tale-based fantasies by Gail Carson Levine, Donna Jo Napoli, and others will find this a pleasant and well-written diversion. Although not as funny as Levine's tales or as psychologically insightful as Napoli's, there is plenty of substance here. Zita is as plucky a heroine as one could want, yet her father's failure to love her fills her with both puzzlement and despair. The twelve princesses remain unsurprisingly interchangeable, for the most part, but their father is more complex. Elements of other fairy tales are intriguingly wound into the story, adding both freshness and depth.
The tale isn't totally satisfying. Although we learn the motive behind the enchantment of the princesses, the details aren't explained. Why the silver and diamond trees? Why the elaborate food at the nightly enchanted balls? Yes, these are part of the traditional tale - but their presence in this tale remains an enigma. The breaking of the enchantment is quite rushed, and in fact all the magical bits are a bit too easy. For example, Zita and Breckin instantly master the magical art of blending so perfectly into their surroundings as to become invisible - this comes in very handy, of course.
Still, Zita's Cinderella-like story and her able narration of her tale will keep most readers content until the happy ending. For grades 4 to 7.
The tale isn't totally satisfying. Although we learn the motive behind the enchantment of the princesses, the details aren't explained. Why the silver and diamond trees? Why the elaborate food at the nightly enchanted balls? Yes, these are part of the traditional tale - but their presence in this tale remains an enigma. The breaking of the enchantment is quite rushed, and in fact all the magical bits are a bit too easy. For example, Zita and Breckin instantly master the magical art of blending so perfectly into their surroundings as to become invisible - this comes in very handy, of course.
Still, Zita's Cinderella-like story and her able narration of her tale will keep most readers content until the happy ending. For grades 4 to 7.
July 17, 2014
I just love a good, sweet, clean fairy tale retelling. This was the 12 dancing princesses retold with a couple other elements of other fairy tales. What I loved most about this story was the main character Zita. She was sweet and strong and carried the story well. I loved the description of the castle and the mold and dampness. This was a fun quick read for girls 10 and up.
Re-read 7-2014 Read to my girls 16 to 5. The 5 year old had a hard time and the 8 year old needed some explanation but overall they all loved it:}
Re-read 7-2014 Read to my girls 16 to 5. The 5 year old had a hard time and the 8 year old needed some explanation but overall they all loved it:}
April 23, 2019
Seems light, tropey, and inconsequential for most of way, but then, oh, the climax, the answer to the mystery... that was something else. The epilogue seemed a little long to me, but probably pleases the target audience. I listened to the audio-book and it was well-done, if perhaps a little over-acted.
July 3, 2017
I love fairy tale retellings. Even when I know, deep down, that they’re going to be terrible, I still can’t resist them. It’s like eating that last cookie that you know is going to make you feel sick but they are THE BEST COOKIES EVER so how can you resist? This was one of those books. My rarely-wrong sixth-sense that tells me whether or not a book is going to be dreadful was urging me to RUN, but I have really enjoyed the sudden spurt of retellings of the Twelve Dancing Princesses, and how could I really resist?
First off, let me clarify that this is a book for younger readers (I think it’s officially in the 9-12 range; the young heroine was 12. However, while the writing was definitely manageable for a reader at that level, I don’t think that I would recommend the story for those who are younger – Zita seems overly interested in kissing and what it is like to by physically close to boys (and specifically one boy in the story), and I really don’t appreciate stories that encourage that kind of thing in such young girls.
(And yes, I know that back in the day everyone got married when they were 13 etc etc etc BUT this is a FAIRY TALE, not a historically accurate novel. If it was historically accurate, well NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED, much less letting a princess’s love interest be a stable hand. Point being, if you’re writing books for pre-teens, I don’t think that you should be reassuring them that going about kissing boys is what they should be doing. This book would have worked even better if either Zita had been a bit older or the whole kissing/having the maids say that it’s important to know “when to stop” had just simply not been in the story AT ALL.)
Anyway, the basic premise of the story is that the king got married and had a wife he really loved except she kept having daughters and she had twelve daughters and it really soured their whole marriage and things got really weird and the king went kind of insane except no one seemed bothered by his actions even though they were pretty cruel and irrational and basically the book doesn’t straight-up say it because it’s for preteens but you are definitely given the impression that he got drunk and more or less raped his wife after they were visited by some neighboring king who had sons because our king was reminded of how upset he was about not having a son (even though the story goes out of the way to say that the oldest daughter is going to inherit the throne and that her father would never dream of letting the throne pass on to someone else so… what’s the big deal about the son then? Just one of the many things that didn’t hang together)…. um where was I? Oh yes, he impregnates his poor, exhausted, abused, mistreated, misaligned wife yet again and then has the nerve to get super upset when she has another daughter. First off, who the heck’s fault is it when someone has a girl instead of a boy? (The male, actually… he’s the one who contributes that particular gene…) And secondly, not like you have a super awesome track record here: You already have TWELVE DAUGHTERS.
So the king goes into this fit of rage (and the queen dies from childbirth complications and is probably glad for the escape from someone who apparently only loved her as a potential son-bearer) and decides that this youngest daughter is going to be brought up as a servant.
Wait, what?
So yes, Zita is raised in the kitchens except it’s no secret that she’s a princess, so the whole thing is stupid, because the cook doesn’t want her hanging out with a stable boy because she’s a princess, but she’s expected to help cook everyone’s food? At first, she’s not allowed to see her sisters, but then when she finds out that she’s a princess, her sisters are all super excited and she starts sneaking out to see them? The whole thing was just dumb. It was a concept that could have worked, but it just felt like the author was too lazy to pull things together, almost like she purposely wrote a preteen book, hoping that 10-year-olds wouldn’t be able to see through all her plot holes. (And I don’t expect tons of explanation and details about the government or whatever, but a story, no matter how simple or involved, should at least MAKE SENSE.)
The the author tried to make the rest of the sisters a little more relatable (apparently that isn’t a word? Well it should be) by giving them all names and trying to give them little quirks and whatnot, except all of their names started with an A (in an attempt to make Zita’s name more emphatically different), so it just got super confusing.
And I’m really not even going to touch on the actually story of the Twelve Dancing Princesses, the part where they actually start dancing. Suffice to say that it made just as little sense as the rest of the book. The villain came out of absolutely no where, no warning, no hints, and actually absolutely no point. Even after I found out who it was, I was just confused. She tried to explain, but was really unable to come up with any plausible reason as to why this particular person should have been the villain.
Whatever. The whole book was pretty dreadful. I just get super frustrated when someone has an intriguing idea and then are too (I don’t know what… lazy? Illogical? Apathetic?) to make it work.
First off, let me clarify that this is a book for younger readers (I think it’s officially in the 9-12 range; the young heroine was 12. However, while the writing was definitely manageable for a reader at that level, I don’t think that I would recommend the story for those who are younger – Zita seems overly interested in kissing and what it is like to by physically close to boys (and specifically one boy in the story), and I really don’t appreciate stories that encourage that kind of thing in such young girls.
(And yes, I know that back in the day everyone got married when they were 13 etc etc etc BUT this is a FAIRY TALE, not a historically accurate novel. If it was historically accurate, well NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED, much less letting a princess’s love interest be a stable hand. Point being, if you’re writing books for pre-teens, I don’t think that you should be reassuring them that going about kissing boys is what they should be doing. This book would have worked even better if either Zita had been a bit older or the whole kissing/having the maids say that it’s important to know “when to stop” had just simply not been in the story AT ALL.)
Anyway, the basic premise of the story is that the king got married and had a wife he really loved except she kept having daughters and she had twelve daughters and it really soured their whole marriage and things got really weird and the king went kind of insane except no one seemed bothered by his actions even though they were pretty cruel and irrational and basically the book doesn’t straight-up say it because it’s for preteens but you are definitely given the impression that he got drunk and more or less raped his wife after they were visited by some neighboring king who had sons because our king was reminded of how upset he was about not having a son (even though the story goes out of the way to say that the oldest daughter is going to inherit the throne and that her father would never dream of letting the throne pass on to someone else so… what’s the big deal about the son then? Just one of the many things that didn’t hang together)…. um where was I? Oh yes, he impregnates his poor, exhausted, abused, mistreated, misaligned wife yet again and then has the nerve to get super upset when she has another daughter. First off, who the heck’s fault is it when someone has a girl instead of a boy? (The male, actually… he’s the one who contributes that particular gene…) And secondly, not like you have a super awesome track record here: You already have TWELVE DAUGHTERS.
So the king goes into this fit of rage (and the queen dies from childbirth complications and is probably glad for the escape from someone who apparently only loved her as a potential son-bearer) and decides that this youngest daughter is going to be brought up as a servant.
Wait, what?
So yes, Zita is raised in the kitchens except it’s no secret that she’s a princess, so the whole thing is stupid, because the cook doesn’t want her hanging out with a stable boy because she’s a princess, but she’s expected to help cook everyone’s food? At first, she’s not allowed to see her sisters, but then when she finds out that she’s a princess, her sisters are all super excited and she starts sneaking out to see them? The whole thing was just dumb. It was a concept that could have worked, but it just felt like the author was too lazy to pull things together, almost like she purposely wrote a preteen book, hoping that 10-year-olds wouldn’t be able to see through all her plot holes. (And I don’t expect tons of explanation and details about the government or whatever, but a story, no matter how simple or involved, should at least MAKE SENSE.)
The the author tried to make the rest of the sisters a little more relatable (apparently that isn’t a word? Well it should be) by giving them all names and trying to give them little quirks and whatnot, except all of their names started with an A (in an attempt to make Zita’s name more emphatically different), so it just got super confusing.
And I’m really not even going to touch on the actually story of the Twelve Dancing Princesses, the part where they actually start dancing. Suffice to say that it made just as little sense as the rest of the book. The villain came out of absolutely no where, no warning, no hints, and actually absolutely no point. Even after I found out who it was, I was just confused. She tried to explain, but was really unable to come up with any plausible reason as to why this particular person should have been the villain.
Whatever. The whole book was pretty dreadful. I just get super frustrated when someone has an intriguing idea and then are too (I don’t know what… lazy? Illogical? Apathetic?) to make it work.
May 5, 2019
This was a really cute version of the story of the twelve princesses. A version where their younger thirteenth sister needs to help save them. A quick read well worth it.
September 27, 2017
Zita is the thirteenth daughter of a king who only wanted sons, and when her mother dies during childbirth, the king banishes Zita to be raised as a servant in the castle. Zita steals little moments with her twelve sisters, but must sneak around the castle to keep it a secret, terrified of her father's anger. When the twelve princesses fall ill and their shoes are worn through every morning, only Zita knows the secrets ways to sneak into their bedrooms and watch where they go at night. The princesses are trapped in an evil enchantment that forces them to dance until dawn, but Zita can't find a prince who is willing to save them!
I loved this book from start to finish! Every chapter is wonderful!
Zita is a fantastic main character, and I was pulled along with all her emotional family experiences. She longs for her father's love, and there are so many ups and downs on that journey. She tries to please him, she thinks maybe he notices her, then she does something to make him angry, and all her hopes are dashed. She just wants to belong and feel safe in her own family, and it's heartbreaking and beautiful to read about.
I love the magic! I was in complete suspense the whole time about the nature of the enchantment, and who cast it, and how Zita could possibly break the spell. The plot really moves along with not one boring moment.
I loved the little bit of romance in this book, sweet and innocent and delightful, with ordinary fellows turned into dashing heroes, and little stolen glances and blushing remarks.
Excellent writing, complex main characters and interesting supporting characters, an energetic plot, and magic bursting out all over everywhere! I love fairy tale retellings!
I loved this book from start to finish! Every chapter is wonderful!
Zita is a fantastic main character, and I was pulled along with all her emotional family experiences. She longs for her father's love, and there are so many ups and downs on that journey. She tries to please him, she thinks maybe he notices her, then she does something to make him angry, and all her hopes are dashed. She just wants to belong and feel safe in her own family, and it's heartbreaking and beautiful to read about.
I love the magic! I was in complete suspense the whole time about the nature of the enchantment, and who cast it, and how Zita could possibly break the spell. The plot really moves along with not one boring moment.
I loved the little bit of romance in this book, sweet and innocent and delightful, with ordinary fellows turned into dashing heroes, and little stolen glances and blushing remarks.
Excellent writing, complex main characters and interesting supporting characters, an energetic plot, and magic bursting out all over everywhere! I love fairy tale retellings!
December 28, 2010
I love this book with a passion and fervor that maybe only a book read during a cold could provide. I've spent the past four hours curled up under a pashmina, utterly charmed by this fairy tale. I was a little hesitant to read this so early in my Cybils work, since the cover has more sparkles on it than a Blingee. Seriously, this is one of the poorest covers I've come across this year. It doesn't do the middle grade market any justice by going for a cartoony effect and it doesn't match Zahler's writing style at all. The story is a true underdog princess story, in the fashion of The Ordinary Princess, and deserves a marketing package in that certain understated style. The inside illustrations for the title page, depicting the 12 princesses late night dance sessions, are far more compelling than this initial visual.
Zita is a well-written character, dealing with the separation from her family, her father's anger, her growing feelings for Breckin (dibs on baby name rights should my child come out freckled) and the slow dissolution of her sisters' health with a no-nonsense attitude. She's not perfect, or perfectly unperfect either. She bends over backwards for her jerk of a dad and is constantly taking risks for those she loves. It's really hard not to love her in return.
I'm going to make a bold statement and give this one a spot on my working shortlist, alongside The Search for WondLa. Secret Fact #135: I adore underdog princess stories.
Zita is a well-written character, dealing with the separation from her family, her father's anger, her growing feelings for Breckin (dibs on baby name rights should my child come out freckled) and the slow dissolution of her sisters' health with a no-nonsense attitude. She's not perfect, or perfectly unperfect either. She bends over backwards for her jerk of a dad and is constantly taking risks for those she loves. It's really hard not to love her in return.
I'm going to make a bold statement and give this one a spot on my working shortlist, alongside The Search for WondLa. Secret Fact #135: I adore underdog princess stories.
June 19, 2010
I love "novelized" fairy tales, written from an alternative perspective. This was a good effort at retelling the Twelve Dancing Princesses. Zita is the 13th child, banished to the servants quarters after queen dies giving birth to her. The king had been deeply in love and happy with his queen until she started producing only girls. After 12, he was done with her and then an experience with a neighboring monarch - one with four sons - prompts him to invade his wife's chambers, demanding a son. The implications are that he has lost his mind with frustration and then grief at his wife's death.
Zita grows up healthy, happy and fairly well-balanced, surrounded by and apparently loved by the servants. When she asks where her mother is, she is told that she is actually a princess and moves along quite happily knowing now that she is part of a bigger family. That she is part of a bigger family who acknowledges her existence but makes no move to return her to their world, that she is content to be a servant, stealing away to hang out for girl's night with her sisters, that she shows no real resentment, anger or anguish over being abandoned...not really plausible.
It all ends in a happily ever after fashion but all the opportunities for exploring the world of this 13th child were missed.
Zita grows up healthy, happy and fairly well-balanced, surrounded by and apparently loved by the servants. When she asks where her mother is, she is told that she is actually a princess and moves along quite happily knowing now that she is part of a bigger family. That she is part of a bigger family who acknowledges her existence but makes no move to return her to their world, that she is content to be a servant, stealing away to hang out for girl's night with her sisters, that she shows no real resentment, anger or anguish over being abandoned...not really plausible.
It all ends in a happily ever after fashion but all the opportunities for exploring the world of this 13th child were missed.
September 6, 2018
3.5
This was a sweet fairy-tale retelling, but there's not a lot of depth. I love Zahler's writing, but would have liked a little more character development for everyone. I think that kids in this age-range will really enjoy it because it's enjoyable and quick to read but it had its flaws. Wildwood Dancing is a better version of "The 12 Dancing Princesses" in my opinion.
This was a sweet fairy-tale retelling, but there's not a lot of depth. I love Zahler's writing, but would have liked a little more character development for everyone. I think that kids in this age-range will really enjoy it because it's enjoyable and quick to read but it had its flaws. Wildwood Dancing is a better version of "The 12 Dancing Princesses" in my opinion.
May 3, 2011
A fairytale retelling of the Twelve Dancing Princesses from the perspective of little Zita, the thirteenth princess, who has been banished to the kitchen and lives as a servant. A nice enough story with no real surprises, though there are a couple of inappropriate allusions that will hopefully go unnoticed by most young readers.
March 3, 2022
Retelling of: Twelve Dancing Princesses
September 18, 2018
Yeah, no. I don't care how I'm supposed to feel about him at the end, the king is the worst.
September 28, 2019
A second-rate knock-off of Shannon Hale (The Goose Girl), who in turn is no Robin McKinley.
So much about this was just wrong - as with a lot of these kinds of thing, it attempts to be some kind of "historical" fiction (apparently just for the raiment), but there is no real sense of time or place. There are no guns, no cars, no steam, but it mentions the "icebox" and there's a "dumbwaiter" (both are more mid-1800s than medieval). There is mention of patron saints (which sounds like Catholicism), but then talk about "Sunday services" which seems Protestant. At one point it talks of "French heels" but then all the kingdoms it names are invented.
We have the daughter of a king who is forced to work as a kitchen maid. (Hard to believe already - she lives in the same castle with her father and all her sisters.) She manages to have plenty of time to run off for adventures - just like all kitchen maids, I'm sure. Of course, there's plenty of crossing of class lines (because the history is just about the fancy dress). And you can't have those awful oppressive "traditional gender roles" even if they did really exist back in the day. This is the worst of both worlds, past and present.
Sometimes I think that the author didn't think things through, and none of her besties who read the ARCs knew any better. I'm not sure how after the castle is completely swept out of all material goods there is any money to replace things. Are we to believe that the king put all his money in some bank in some other location?
The writing is that of a precocious high schooler, with ye olde vocabulary terms thrown in every so often. We get "repast" and the like, but then a stumble like having "buttercream frosting" (from the 1950s, apparently) comes along. Clearly the author does not know a thing, and it's likely the vast majority of her readers are in the same boat. These are not even Renaissance Faire wenches - they are Barbie/Disney princesses.
Three or four times the author finds it necessary to give us the litany of sisters. The names are so damned stupid and hearing them in a row just grates: Aurelia, Alanna, Ariadne, Althea, Adena, Askena, Amina, Alima, Akila, Allegra, Asmita, and Anisa. Good grief. Someone thinks this is cute?
Then there was the time when
So much of the book is full of modern-day girly fantasies. It basically concludes with a slumber party. Ugh. Yes, I probably should have researched this more - but I was hoping for a "classic fairy tale with a bold twist." The Twelve Dancing Princesses aspect of this is fairly minor, done poorly and not creatively, and could easily have been replaced with something else.
Narrator is dreadful with awful attempts at accents that are simply laughable. All of a piece with the book.
So much about this was just wrong - as with a lot of these kinds of thing, it attempts to be some kind of "historical" fiction (apparently just for the raiment), but there is no real sense of time or place. There are no guns, no cars, no steam, but it mentions the "icebox" and there's a "dumbwaiter" (both are more mid-1800s than medieval). There is mention of patron saints (which sounds like Catholicism), but then talk about "Sunday services" which seems Protestant. At one point it talks of "French heels" but then all the kingdoms it names are invented.
We have the daughter of a king who is forced to work as a kitchen maid. (Hard to believe already - she lives in the same castle with her father and all her sisters.) She manages to have plenty of time to run off for adventures - just like all kitchen maids, I'm sure. Of course, there's plenty of crossing of class lines (because the history is just about the fancy dress). And you can't have those awful oppressive "traditional gender roles" even if they did really exist back in the day. This is the worst of both worlds, past and present.
Sometimes I think that the author didn't think things through, and none of her besties who read the ARCs knew any better. I'm not sure how after the castle is completely swept out of all material goods there is any money to replace things. Are we to believe that the king put all his money in some bank in some other location?
The writing is that of a precocious high schooler, with ye olde vocabulary terms thrown in every so often. We get "repast" and the like, but then a stumble like having "buttercream frosting" (from the 1950s, apparently) comes along. Clearly the author does not know a thing, and it's likely the vast majority of her readers are in the same boat. These are not even Renaissance Faire wenches - they are Barbie/Disney princesses.
Three or four times the author finds it necessary to give us the litany of sisters. The names are so damned stupid and hearing them in a row just grates: Aurelia, Alanna, Ariadne, Althea, Adena, Askena, Amina, Alima, Akila, Allegra, Asmita, and Anisa. Good grief. Someone thinks this is cute?
Then there was the time when
So much of the book is full of modern-day girly fantasies. It basically concludes with a slumber party. Ugh. Yes, I probably should have researched this more - but I was hoping for a "classic fairy tale with a bold twist." The Twelve Dancing Princesses aspect of this is fairly minor, done poorly and not creatively, and could easily have been replaced with something else.
Narrator is dreadful with awful attempts at accents that are simply laughable. All of a piece with the book.
August 13, 2023
This was a nice, fun book. It could've been better written, some of the sentences were a tad clunky and when the climax came around I wasn't anywhere near the edge of my seat. In fact, I was lounging quite comfortably. It did irritate me however that it took so long for Zita to figure out who was the proverbial 'bad guy'. It was so glaringly obvious that it made her seem a bit dumb. If you want something to be a mystery then Zita really should've suspected
I think this is my second or third retelling of the 12 dancing princesses and I can now come to the conclusion that this fairytale is just not my cup of tea. With this said, this was my favorite thus far and the least creepy version.
I think this is my second or third retelling of the 12 dancing princesses and I can now come to the conclusion that this fairytale is just not my cup of tea. With this said, this was my favorite thus far and the least creepy version.
January 22, 2021
I liked this story.I liked it when Xita and Bendrick met the witch.I liked it when they found out about Xita's Sisters Going dancing So,They were sick everynight.I liked it when they rescued them with Mikek.And how she got a Nice life as a princess after long years Of being a servant although a princess.I liked it also when The King (Xita's Father)Accepted that she wasn't the cause the mother died and The nurse was.
January 30, 2024
i listened to the audiobook recording.
i wanted to read it because i was nostalgic for the re-vamps of fairytale stories i used to read as a kid, but i had a lot of issues with the character development, personalities, the plot, even the names for the sisters... i know it’s for kids, but i feel like the author could have done so much more with the story.
also, the king showed no redeeming qualities about him, so i don’t understand the last chapter???
not my favorite. 1/5 stars.
i wanted to read it because i was nostalgic for the re-vamps of fairytale stories i used to read as a kid, but i had a lot of issues with the character development, personalities, the plot, even the names for the sisters... i know it’s for kids, but i feel like the author could have done so much more with the story.
also, the king showed no redeeming qualities about him, so i don’t understand the last chapter???
not my favorite. 1/5 stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 24, 2024
I liked this fairytale retelling, but it was super predictable and a bit slow. Also I didn't like how the father was redeemed from his emotional abuse towards Zita at the end without really deserving it? But besides that, I liked the plot.
July 23, 2024
An enjoyable read though a bit bland, even for a retelling.
In truth, the biggest work of fiction in this book is a group of 13 sisters who think each other to be angels and are never catty to one another.
But I think the story of the father was complex and well done.
In truth, the biggest work of fiction in this book is a group of 13 sisters who think each other to be angels and are never catty to one another.
But I think the story of the father was complex and well done.
April 2, 2021
I love that 13th princess
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 30, 2021
I was blown away by this simple story with a slow start and a fun finish. Zita is wonderful - I liked her so much I didn't even notice this book was in first person (which I usually detest). The story is a wonderful re-telling of the 12 Dancing Princesses (which should have been obvious to me, but I didn't realize until the sisters got ill). I thought the set-up and the castle were beautiful and fun, so I didn't mind that the book got off to a slow start. It's a wonderful children's book - I wish I had grown up with it!
The only downside was the four or five sidelong/subtle mentions of intimacy; I don't think so many mentions were necessary or appropriate for a children's book. It would have been fine if it happened maybe once, but it was actually kind of frequent. They're hidden, so a child would have no idea, but as an adult I didn't appreciate it muddying my children's story (even if it DOES take place in medieval times).
The only downside was the four or five sidelong/subtle mentions of intimacy; I don't think so many mentions were necessary or appropriate for a children's book. It would have been fine if it happened maybe once, but it was actually kind of frequent. They're hidden, so a child would have no idea, but as an adult I didn't appreciate it muddying my children's story (even if it DOES take place in medieval times).
June 23, 2025
insanely cute😭 it's giving gail carson levine crossed with e.d. baker
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